The "Berachah" in the name of the Berachah Bible Church comes from ll Chronicles 20-26 in the Old Testament and means "blessing."

The congregation celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1996 and continues to feel they are indeed blessed, serving about 275 members.

In late summer, 1970 several families expressed interest in starting a church in south metropolitan Atlanta and services were begun in a home in Red Oak, Ga.

Several months later they met in an elementary school, later in an insurance building in East Point and in 1978, 13 acres were purchased in North Fayette County. (They have since added an additional six acres).

Work began on the initial building in September 1982 and a significant expansion took place in 1991.

The church had the privilege of commissioning young families for foreign missionary work in 1985 and at the present time they support missionaries in 12 countries around the world. Last fall, a special effort was made to increase pledges for its various mission projects, and $130,000 was raised.

Dr. Howard E. Dial serves as the pastor and he has been serving this church since its inception.

Though born in New York he was reared in East Point, graduating from Russell High School. He felt the call from God at the age of 15.

He received his bachelor's degree in Biblical Education from Columbia Bible College in South Carolina in 1963, his Master's of Divinity and Master's of Theology degrees from Grace Theological Seminary in Indiana and his Doctor of Ministry from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Oregon.

He and wife, Beth, are the parents of Miriam, who is married to a doctor in Rossville and Eric, who is married and lives in Peachtree City. There are three grandchildren and one on the way.

In the late 1960s, he taught at Carver Bible College in Atlanta and is currently on its board of directors. One of his students, Tony Evans, continued in the ministry and now pastors a large church in Dallas, Texas.

"We're really like a hospital," he stated, "we have "doctors" and "nurses" who stand ready to help the people who are hurt and coming to us for help. This church is blessed with a large number of people who volunteer a lot of their time. They stand ready to help people within the church and without."

Dr. Dial has been a competitive runner for 27 years and has participated in the last 25 Peachtree Road races. He estimates that he has run over 30,000 miles in his lifetime and feels that it keeps both his body and his mind fit to continue serving the church that is a "blessing."

The church is located at 310 Corinth Road and can be reached at 770-461-2466.